Very early in the year, I visited a local independent record shoppe to purchase Neko Case's "Middle Cyclone". I chose to purchase the physical CD because I knew I could get 10% off through a sort-of advertised sale. I paid about $14.

Prior to 2009, I wouldn't have thought much of paying $14 for a new (and very good) CD like this, but the transaction left a bad taste in my mouth. Amazon had Neko's digital album on sale for $5 during most of the year. I like records stores as much as the next person, but I can't justify spending more than double to keep them in business.

Similarly, I can't figure out what these businesses are doing with their stock of used CDs. The CD is still alive, its death is near. In a world where only a small minority want a new CD, very few people are interested in used CDs. Used CDs are junk. Consumers, myself included, are happy to part with discs in exchange for less clutter around the home and cents on the dollar -- we're not really giving up anything anyway, as we've archived the songs on a hard drive.

So if you're a junk salesman, selling junk that you paid $1 for, why does your physical junk cost $8 to $10, the same as iTunes' digital property? Yes, going to a cool record shop and flipping through jewel cases is kind of fun, but it's only fun IF I can find something I want, and IF I'm getting a bargain. Used CDs need to be priced at 5 bucks or less if you expect me to get off the couch to MAYBE find something I want.

Ugh. Anyway, despite these problems, nostalgia coerced me into three used CD purchases in '09: